Wisden, the oldest name in cricket publishing, is inviting applications for its work-experience scheme. There are opportunities to help out with Wisden Cricket Monthly, the Wisden CricInfo website, or at Wisden's Indian office. Later in 2003 there might also be opportunities with Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. The scheme has been running since 1996. Its graduates include Tanya Aldred, a columnist and cricket reporter on the Guardian newspaper; Lawrence Booth, columnist on the Guardian website and a county reporter for the Daily Telegraph; Rob Smyth, the former assistant editor of Wisden.com, who was often to be found last winter staying up all night to cover England's struggles in the Ashes; Paul Coupar, the new editorial assistant on the Almanack; and plenty of others whose brief taste of Wisden was enough to send them off in a quite different direction.

It is a chance for you to see the world of cricket-writing from the inside, and for us to spot talented young writers and editors. We cannot guarantee that there will be a job going afterwards, or that you will be offered it if there is. But we will certainly be more aware of your skills if we have seen them in action.

It works like this. You write to us, enclosing a brief CV, examples of your work, some evidence of your literacy and passion for cricket, and a covering letter. This should set out when you are available, why you want to come to Wisden, and which parts of the company you would like to work in – Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack or the Wisden CricInfo website (if you are interested in all three, all the better) in England, or Wisden Asia Cricket or Wisden CricInfo Ltd in India.

Experience is not essential, but precedence will be given to candidates who have done at least some writing or editing, and who already know their way around our publications. Wisden is an equal-opportunities employer.

In England, the magazine and website offices are in west London, close to Latimer Road tube station on the Hammersmith & City line. The Almanack offices are near Alton in Hampshire. The Wisden office in India is in Mumbai.

The stint is usually two to four weeks. Working hours are 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, unless you are told otherwise. You will not be paid for coming in, but you will be paid for anything you get published. Travel expenses are not paid unless you have to make a special journey on our behalf.

You will be given a variety of tasks ranging from the menial to the relatively responsible. You could be filing one minute and writing the next, as well as fact-checking, unearthing statistics, sub-editing, tracking down pictures or interviewing cricketers. Again, there are no guarantees, but we try to make sure you have a reasonable time, are treated as part of our close-knit team, and don't have to make all the tea.

Applications should be addressed as follows - by e-mail, avoiding attachments if possible.

For Wisden Online to Martin Williamson, managing editor, at martin.williamson@wisden.com.

For Wisden Cricket Monthly to John Stern, deputy editor, at john.stern@wisden.com.

For Wisden Cricketers' Almanack contact details will appear here when help is needed.

For Wisden in India to Sambit Bal, the editor, at sambit.bal@wisdenindia.com.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd